Letters | Probe hospital data breach or lose people’s trust in public health care

A lack of data privacy may deter patients from seeking medical care, and defies the fundamental ethos of social equality which underpins public services

Hong Kong healthcare and hospitals

Letters

Published: 1:00pm, 26 Jun 2019

Why you can trust SCMP

Medical sector legislator Dr Pierre Chan has brought to light strong evidence of police access to patient data in public hospitals, which reportedly facilitated the arrest of patients injured in the June 12 clashes during protests against the contentious extradition bill.

There is also evidence that patient data can be accessed by anyone with no need for a password, thus leaving no record of the accessing of data. This clear breach of patient-data confidentiality has implications far beyond a single incident of privacy violation. It may have a long-lasting impact on the public health sector.

First, and most obviously, this abuse of patient data clearly deviates from reasonably anticipated professional conduct, and may deter patients from seeking necessary medical help, for fear that their data would be used against them. Even patients not involved in activities that could be considered illegal may be uncomfortable with their data being made readily available to law enforcement bodies. This incident damages the doctor-patient relationship which takes a long time to foster.

Secondly, as emphasised in my previous letter to the Post, public health care is meant to be a safety net for the less privileged in society who cannot afford private services. For public hospitals to abuse the trust of their patients sends the message that those unable to afford private health care will receive less protection of their privacy or rights. This defies the fundamental values on which public health care was developed in the first place: equality and social justice.

Public health care is supposed to be on the side of the less privileged and to strive for their welfare but, in this incident, hospitals appeared to do the opposite. The public’s trust has been significantly shaken, and to some, the public health care system has become just another part of the establishment – exploiting ordinary people and serving the interests of the powerful.

Hospitals chief vows to protect patients’ data as public doubts deepen

To rebuild people’s trust in public health care, I urge the authorities to conduct an independent investigation – to call to account those who have violated patient privacy, and to comprehensively review existing policies regarding such privacy. Without a risk-free environment, there is no way public hospitals can deliver the best of their services and achieve the broader aim of promoting community health.

Francisco T.T. Lai, PhD candidate in public health, CUHK

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